Organic Foreign Language Learning: A Global Imperative

Reflections on Foreign Language Learning
by ROCS’ Japanese and Global Studies Educator, Meridith Kiyosue

Language learning is steadily becoming an act of defiance; not an addition to a curriculum vitae, not a leg up on the business ladder, and not just another performative skill measurable by a test and weighed by a score at the close of the semester. Language education in the 21st century is a critical social justice imperative.

This sentiment was echoed by the voices of nearly 7,000 language educators from around the world whom I joined for the 2019 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention in Washington, DC this past November. Introducing a lesser taught foreign language to young students is a unique responsibility and one I take seriously. Attending, and sharing my work, at this conference was a great professional development opportunity.

Similar to the energy at recent climate strikes and human rights rallies here in Columbus, the atmosphere at ACTFL’s opening ceremony in our nation’s capital was infused by a sense of urgency. Language education in general, and the responsibility of language educators more specifically, was highlighted as a key component to improving the global condition. Historically and currently, nationally and globally, language matters. Languages go extinct. Languages are not always welcome.

The ACTFL Teacher of the Year, Rebecca Blouwolff, recounted speaking in French to her children in public without fear. But when an angry white executive takes offense with a Spanish speaking parent talking to her children while they share space in the same restaurant, he calls ICE to have them detained. Language can be dangerous. Upon receiving her award, Blouwolff reminded her audience, “We are not responsible for making monolinguists feel comfortable in their ignorance.” This statement hit home for me as a parent and partner to speakers of non-European languages. 

The power of language was demonstrated further by the keynote speaker. An accomplished Lebanese-American journalist and founder of the Beirut Institute, Raghida Dergham delivered a powerful speech titled, Daring to Differ. Dergham demanded space for herself at the table in a field where no one was willing to offer her a seat. And she pointed to the importance of language in aiding her to perfect what she called “the art of daring” - to dare intelligently and responsibly with purpose, and with determination to reach that purpose. I highly recommend viewing her TED talk where she also delivers her speech Daring to Differ. 

I received a notification last fall about the 2019 ACTFL call for proposals through my affiliation with the Ohio Association of Teachers of Japanese. I wanted to share ROCS with the world. With the help of fellow ROCS staff, I drafted a proposal and took a shot. In April 2019, I was notified that my session had been accepted for ACTFL’s 2019 program. As a first-time attendee, ACTFL awarded me a scholarship which subsidized the costs of my trip.

November 23, I presented my session, “Nature Immersion and Play: Organic Language Learning for Young Students.” The session reflected the way I teach every day at Red Oak, including meditative practices, singing, kamishibai, and arts and crafts.

I opened the session by providing attendees a minute-long meditative experience. Using leaves and acorns, I offered these busy adults, gathered in a very formal setting far removed from nature, to feel what it is like to be a Red Oak student coming in from playing outside. Listening as 60 fellow language teachers sang a song I wrote to make it easier for kids to remember the name of fruit in Japanese was incredibly exciting. And the mini paper bag kamishibai I planned were a hit! (Thank you to the parents who stayed after school to help me prepare these materials. Arigatou so very, very much!) Many attendees came up to me after to talk about how they would use the ideas I shared in their own classrooms.

When describing Red Oak to the attendees who were mostly fellow K-12 educators, I explained that what we try to do is restore the things that with each new guideline, standard, and technological advancement seem to be taken away from young students. Unstructured play, time spent in nature, shoshin: beginner’s mind and the joy of learning something new without a set goal (grades, test scores) in mind.

I feel fortunate to teach Japanese to young children. This is not a language commonly taught in the U.S., especially not at the elementary level. But fluency is not my only goal. I want to give students an experience that fosters global stewardship, build confidence in learning a difficult language, and inspire exploration of new languages so they can develop a compassionate, inclusive outlook when building friendships beyond Red Oak. I want to help guide young learners past the anxiety that often comes with speaking to someone who does not speak English as a first language so that later in life, language is not a barrier but a navigable obstacle worthy of being conquered. I hope their experiences learning Japanese at Red Oak not only make spaces for them at future tables, but encourage them to make space for others when the opportunity arises. May they dare intelligently with a strong purpose to change the world for the better.

Being a presenter for the ACTFL conference was amazing, but it was what I learned from the speakers I heard and other teachers I spoke with that expanded my perspective of the responsibility that comes with leading a classroom of young language learners. Proficiency is not the only goal. It is the purpose behind the proficiency that matters—the reason for learning a new language in the first place.